CORPSEGRINDER
Corpsegrinder
Perseverance Music Group
I’m a little surprised it took CANNIBAL CORPSE frontman George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher this long to do a solo album. As one of death metal’s few genuine “characters” who has already done a bunch of side-project work with VOODOO GODS, PATHS OF POSSESSION and SERPENTINE DOMINION; guest appearances with everyone from SUFFOCATION (30 years ago) to, most recently, Dee Snider; and voicing the Metal Masked Assassin on Dethklok Metalocalypse – not to mention being the inspiration for DETHKLOK frontman Nathan Explosion - it would seem to be a natural thing.
But apparently it took some cajoling, and perhaps a bit of ulterior motivation, by HATEBREED’s Jamey Jasta after Fisher guested on Jasta’s own 2019 solo album The Lost Chapters 2 for him to decide to take the plunge. Recording for Jasta’s label, Perseverance Music Group, and working with guitarist/bassist Charlie Bellmore and drummer Nick Bellmore (brothers who both played with TOXIC HOLOCAUST and are part of Snider’s band), Fisher delivers a tidy, but satisfying solo debut under the CORPSEGRINDER moniker – originally the name of his first band which essentially became his identity, or “brand,” ever since.
And that alone should tell you not to expect any wild divergences from what he become legend for. The self-titled album is not some exercise in ego stroking where Fisher attempts to spread his wings and prove that he’s a “serious” musician – curious covers of pop-song classics, clean vocal experimentation or some bullshit like that. Instead it’s more like his side projects where he works outside the tight confines of CANNIBAL CORPSE but still well within his death metal comfort zone.
Here, it is simplified and stripped down – and noticeably lessgrotesque or graphic, despite its constant menace and vivid, threatening tone - while at the same time beefed up with lots of big riffs and hooks to accent the iconic guttural bark that earned Fisher the “Corpsegrinder” tag in the first place. Save for the black metally closer “Vaguely Human” and occasionally furious “All Souls Are Torn” or “Crimson Proof”, there is little of CANNIBAL’s tongue-twisting technicality or acceleration that sometimes found Fisher breathlessly trying to keep up – like the diabolical “Frantic Disembowelment”.
Instead, most of the album rides a hearty chug-and-gallop pace that relies more on thrash/hardcore heft than full-on death metal velocity to provide the platform for Fisher to bring the violence. Indeed, the death march groove that punctuates “Death Is The Only Key”, “Crimson Proof” and “Devourer of Souls” recalls the more metallic side of HATEBREED – and with Jasta also serving as co-producer here perhaps that’s no surprise.
On the flip-side, album opener “Acid Vat” features new CANNIBAL CORPSE guitarist and long-time producer Erik Rutan providing some out-of-character black metal trems and eerie OBITUARY-like atmospherics that lend unexpected character and get things off to promising start. The rest of the album is more workman-like, but very effective and enjoyable. And while all 10 tracks are quite good, there are some genuinely impressive moments, like the majestic “On Wings Of Carnage” and “Master Of The Longest Night” that slow the tempo but double down on the heaviness, with “Longest Night” delivering a surging, super catchy chorus to boot. Both are massive.
In the end, Corpsegrinder is a worthwhile effort that plays to Fisher’s strength as one of death metal’s most formidable voices and gives him a chance to stretch a bit – though not too much. It doesn’t take any real chances - but it never falls on its ass. And there is no shame in that.
4.0 Out Of 5.0
